Revelations
by vintagefuzzbox
Summary: Gail meet's Holly at a conference. Set 14 months after leaving for San Fran. Started life as a Secret Santa Fic and ended here. This is a first ever attempt at fanfic writing please be gentle with me!
1. Chapter 1

This started out as a secret santa gift...

Gail giving a lecture about homicide cases at a conference Holly's attending.

Revelations.

Takes place 14 months after Holly left for San Francisco.

"Gail...Gail, wait up!" Holly called after her retreating form. Gail stopped but didn't turn around. Dropping her head back, deflating her posture like a busted teenager, Fuck, I do not needs this today. Holly jogged up behind her and took hold of Gail's shoulder as she spun round to look at her face, gently running her hand down her arm to her elbow. Steering her out of the way of oncoming delegates exiting the hall.

'I don't have time for this now Doctor Stewart," Gail bit out.

Holly was a bit taken aback at the harshness of Gail using her full name and the glare on her face.

Even when they had fought Gail never looked at her like that.

"Please can we talk. I need to talk to you, I didn't think you were going to be here today, but as you are I would like to spend some time with you, to talk, maybe...I thought Traci, sorry Detective Sergeant Nash was doing the the introduction to the film and answering the questions after." gesturing behind her at the lecture hall... "I was going to call you tomorrow anyway, to see if we could meet up at the weekend but I have to go back the day after tomorrow ...but you're here now,...so, could you make time for me, maybe have a drink, catch up?" Holly went into full on ramble mode. At one time Gail would have thought it was adorable.

Things were different now.

"Its been 14 months, Hol... and nothing. Now you want to talk?" Gail barely controlled her anger, shrugging off Holly's hand. Stepping back to get some much needed space between them, "I've really got to go." Holding her ground now that she was on a more sound foundation of hurt and anger. Her surprise at seeing Holly in the audience earlier had thrown her brain into a turmoil of emotions.

"Ok," she relented.

Holly sighed feeling a little relieved, "What time can you get back here or I could meet you somewhere?"

Gail thought for a moment trying to organize the things she still had to do in her head. Glancing at her watch, "How about 9 ish, I'll come back here."

"Ok, I'll meet you in the bar?"

"No." Gail replied a little too quickly. "I'll come to your room? If that's ok, it'll be quieter and more private. Number?"

"Ok, 1156, see you later," Holly turned and walked back in the direction she had come.

Dangerous territory Peck. Gail thought as she backed away from Holly.

Things are different now.

Holly returned to the conference hall and back to her seat.

"Everything ok?" her colleague inquired. Holly nodded and sat down, her face impassive as she rearranged her notes and stuff for the next lecture. A couple of hours later the lecture was winding down with stupid questions Holly thought why couldn't people just listen carefully then all the questions would have been answered in the actual lecture. Her thoughts drifted back to Gail, she would've rolled her eyes and complained that "these people are idiots, Holly, just idiots," she could hear the tone of her voice in her head. Holly let her mind wander as to why the blonde had been so short with her, she realised it was a lot to ask her to see her again but Holly had regretted letting Gail hit the pause button on their relationship, friends or otherwise.

Declining an offer of a drink in the bar with her colleague Holly headed to her room. She had a couple of hours to kill before Gail would be turning up. She couldn't decide what to do first, shower or work? She settled for showering, long and hot to get rid of the aches of sitting all day. Redressing in comfy yoga pants and an old Toronto PD sweatshirt she settled down at the small table with her laptop to organize the days information and fired off a few quick emails, some work, some personal.

True to her word Gail turned up just before 9 o'clock. Holly opened the door with a big smile on her face, and immediately went in for a hug. Feeling Gail stiffen she relaxed the embrace and kissed her gently on the cheek. "Hey you...You ok?"

"No, not really...it's been a peculiar day." Gail wandered around the room contemplating where to sit. Finally perching on the arm of the small couch.

"You not staying then?" Holly quipped pointing at Gail. "Make yourself comfortable?"

"I can't really stay, Hols..." Gail slipped easily back into the affectionate shortening of her name.

"Why?" Holly inquired doing that adorable head tilt.

"I need to get something to eat, then I've got to get to a meeting." Gail deliberately didn't expand on what kind of meeting.

"Well, we can eat here, downstairs or I can order us some food. I haven't had a chance to eat yet either." Holly moved over to the table to dig out the room service menu from under her pile of papers. Handing it to Gail "See if there's anything you fancy?" Holly busied herself stacking her papers and closing down her laptop, putting both back into the case on the floor. She pulled the table out slightly from the wall so it would be more comfortable for them to eat at.

Gail flipped open the menu quickly scanned the listed items. Looking over to Holly who had just picked up the phone and pressed the room service number, "So, what'll it be Officer?

Gail ignored the intimate intonation of Holly's question, "Chicken salad and some water please."

Things were different now.

"Ok...?" Holly doubled up the order as she spoke adding her room number to the guy on the other end, "Ok 30 minutes that be fine," she replied looking at Gail. She shrugged her shoulders and mouthed ok.

Holly came over and sat beside Gail, "Is this weird for you because its definitely, weird for me...Who are you and what have you done with my ex-girlfriend... See you look the same, but different?... Shock horror Gail Peck has, one," she started to count off on her fingers, "ordered a chicken salad... salad far too healthy and water and not beer. So what gives?"

"Girlfriend, I think that's pushing it a bit, Holly," Gail exclaimed intentionally using her proper name, "I don't think we actually got that far as to call ourselves girlfriends could we?" The question being a rhetorical one. "No, Holly, what we had was an affair or a fling,...yeah a fling, that's probably more like it. Nothing serious right just had some fun, didn't we?" The sarcastic tone wasn't lost on Holly. "So what now, you just wanna be friends or something, like with all your other exes?" Gail just couldn't stop the sarcasm dripping from her tongue.

Holly flinched, ouch that hurt, "No, ...well yes... I just wanted to see you, see how you are, but evidently you don't want to or are not interested in catching up with me." Holly turned away from Gail and her voiced trailed away. "Do you want to tell me why you were doing Traci's job today?"

"Leo's in hospital," Gail blurted out, not that she thought Traci would mind her telling Holly what had happened the night before.

"WHAT?" Holly exclaimed.

"Calm down, nothing too serious, he and Dex were in a minor RTA last night, just some bumps a few bruises from the seat belts, but somehow Leo managed to break his arm so the docs had to pin it. He was kept in overnight and Traci was in no state to do this today so I offered to do it."

"Why? You hate public speaking."

"-Yeah, well, I helped Traci with the case originally. And helped put together the presentation, so it seemed obvious to me to do it, so Oliver didn't have to order me to do it. Much less stressful that way."

A loud knock on the door interrupted the conversation, "I'll get it," Gail said leaping to her feet. Immediately her body language stiffening, Gail checked the peephole, making sure it was the room service guy. Before opening the door, unconsciously her hand hovered over the top of her right hip. Useless of course you idiot remembering she wasn't in uniform.

"Hey, Gail it's ok," Holly soothed softly as she came up behind her. "Go on let him in."

"Good evening, ladies where would you like me set it up?" The fresh faced young man asked, pushing the trolley into the room.

"Can you leave it and we can sort it out ourselves, if that's ok?" Holly replied, Gail not having left her position of holding the door open for the young man.

"Of course ma'am," a slight hint of a southern accent, "When you have finished just leave it in the hall, and if you could call down to room service and it will be collected." The young man bowed slightly and backed away from Holly turning towards Gail, who had not taken her eyes of him since he entered the room.

Holly laid the table up. "Come on, sit down," taking her place at the table. "So, you wanna tell me what's been going on over the last few months?" Ripping the cellophane of the top of the water bottle and pouring out two glasses. Holly knew exactly how many months, weeks, days and hours it had been.

"Few months, Hol, it's been over a year and no, I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh, ok, so is there anything you do want to talk about?"

"Not really," she looked everywhere else in the room except directly at Holly.

"Stop being a brat Gail."

"Fuck off, Holly...You sound like my mother." She stated matter-of-factly. "You know I don't do small talk."

Holly was a bit taken aback by Gail's vehemence.

Things are different now.

Holly took a few moments to compose herself, she didn't want to get into a pissing match with Gail this evening, but this really wasn't going to plan. Time to change direction she thought. So she went into full on ramble mode. About how wonderful her life was in San Francisco how much she loved the city, the apartment she lived in, what a wonderful view of the bay she had. The fact she loved getting her nerd on researching, finding new interns to teach.

Great everything Holly fucking Stewart was just peachy. Gail thought. Makes me want to puke.

Gail used to love hearing Holly talk, she loved with way her dulcet tones soothed the inner voices clattering about in her head. Used to. Before. But not now, this was just too painful to listen to. It wasn't that she was jealous that Holly seemed to have gotten on with her life. More to the fact that she seemed to have gotten over her so quickly. That hurt. Fourteen months later Gail was still trying to piece together the not so broken bits back into place. Holly stopped talking and looked at up into those steely blues, "Hey, you ok?"

Gail stopped playing with her food. She floundered a little, "I can't do this Hol, I thought I could, but I can't. I want to be the bigger person, I really do, but I'm gonna go, ok?" Gail pleaded, placing her cutlery on her plate. Rubbing her hands down the tops of her thighs, pushing herself up off the chair. She didn't want to be here in such an enclosed private space any more.

As Gail came level with her shoulder, Holly reached out and caught hold of her hand, "What's wrong, honey?"

Gail just stared at the hand holding hers, she didn't pull away and yet she didn't respond.

"Come on, talk to me. We used to tell each other stuff, right?...Holly paused and turned towards Gail. "I'm really sorry about Sophie," she flinched, and waited for the fall out, of knowing that bit information.

"How did you know?" Gail asked quietly now gently squeezing her hand.

"I have my ways, you know!" Wiggling her eyebrows, trying to lighten the darkness descending over Gail. Realising she had misjudged the situation she tugged on her arm, "Traci... We had a case just before I left. She need some more information so she emailed me about eight or nine months ago. We had a few telephone conversations. I was determined not to ask about you, because I didn't want to know that you had gone back to Nick."

"What the FUCK, Hol!" Gail wrenched her hand away from Holly. "Why would you say that!" she started pacing around the room.

"Because you have before." Fuck, fuck, shit. She thought as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

"That was really low, Hol... I'm supposed to be the mean and spiteful one... I think we are done now, I am leaving."

"No, no, please don't go, I'm sorry, I...I...just don't go, please?" Holly got up from the table, went over to Gail, "This is not how this was supposed to go, I'm sorry, that was a horrible thing to say. I'm sorry...Please...stay."

"Can I get you a drink? I think I need a drink." Holly gestured towards the mini bar.

"No, thanks, I can't, but don't let me stop you."

Holly raised an eyebrow, but let the subject drop. She helped herself to a glass of wine and sat on the other end of the couch. Feet up. Studying the side of Gail face, she could she the muscles in her cheeks working as she clenched her teeth. Neither spoke for quite sometime. Both lost in their own thoughts. Holly berating herself for being foolish and flippant. Gail thinking about how much she should tell her if anything at all.

"I'm sorry." That's all Holly said. Gail didn't react or moved. She just sat there staring across to the other side of the room. "I'm sorry...for everything... I think I fucked up big time."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Gail turned to look at Holly.

"When I saw you today, it was totally unexpected and it through me off guard." Holly said quietly, suddenly finding her wine glass more interesting. "I wasn't lying earlier. I was going to get in touch with you, I just kept putting it off. Then we were here and you're standing infront of me." She took a sip of the wine, turned and placed it on the table behind her. Pulled her knees close she rested her chin on her hand, elbow on her knee, "I hate it."

"What do you hate, Hol?"

"Just my life!" she smiled shyly and whispered, "I should never have left."

"So, what's happened in the last half an hour, cos to my mind you've just been rubbing my face in the fact that your life is just so fucking wonderful."

Holly paused before answering, "I miss you. I should have fought harder with you, for you. You said that you were an impetuous brat. You maybe the brat, but I've done my fair share of being impetuous...I was the one to run away from us, not you...I'm not good at relationships either Gail. That evening in The Penny with my friends, it was..." she paused to think about how she going to phrase the next sentence. "Before you overheard what Lisa said, you were looking at me like I had just given you everything. I was feeling a little pressured... that I would never be able to live up to everything you needed me to be. So I brushed it of as us having something insignificant. I know we have been through this before but I want say that you changed me, it took me while to figure it out...Seeing you today was unexpected but has cemented in my mind that I want to come home, so I've just quit."

"You've done, what?" Gail exclaimed swinging around to face her. "But... But why?"

"Many reasons, I miss my family, my friends, you... My dad's not been too well recently, so I have been back a couple of times. I wanted to reach out to you but what you said to me before I left played heavily on my mind."

"Oh Hol, I'm sorry about your dad , I know you are quite close to him...But I'm not in a good place either and I think it would be a bad idea for us to do something about it. I mean we fucked up everything before cos of bad timing. What makes you think we could make a go of it now?... Have you been keeping tabs on me?"

"No, why should I have?"

"So you only know about Sophie?"

"I'm really sorry that didn't work out. I know how much you wanted to make it right for her."

Gail pointed her index finger at herself, "I thought I was doing the right thing for both of us. But really Lauralee was right Sophie needed a more solid foundation, more than a single mother. More than being passed from pillar to post... In a way, maybe it was the idea that she could never leave me."

Holly smarted at the tone in Gail's voice. "I begged you to come with me, but I knew that Sophie was more important."

"Don't you dare say that. I didn't know what you were going to do... Look I don't want to get into this again. We've done this all before." Gail's inner voice was going mad, the back and forth of what and how much she needed or wanted to tell Holly. "We are different people now, things are different now...l'm different now." her voice drifted off.

"Ok, so what do I need to know. And I will tell you now, that not much is going to change my mind about you Gail... I've done nothing but think about you ever since I left."

Gail stood and walked over to the window. She could feel the darkness from outside start to seep into her bones, she started slowly and quietly recounting the last year of her life.

"This is gonna be hard, I think, for you to hear."

"It's ok," Holly reassured her, studying her back.

Gail turned around leaving the city lights twinkling behind her, leaning against the windowsill, long fingers gripping the edge,"I'll try and cut a long story short." a brief smile filtered across her face. She dropped her eyes down to study the generic hotel carpet and started her long monologue. "A little while after you left, Steve was arrested."

"What the fu-"

Gail held up both of her hands, "Stop...Please, don't say anything until I have finished otherwise I might never start again."

"Oh... Ok, I won't, I'm sorry I won't interrupt again."

"I was there when he was arrested. I didn't know what to think or what was going on, but we had been investigating the bombing at 15 and it all sort of came out. He had done one fairly innocuous thing to start with, which led to something else etc etc and it snowballed. But by this time my parents were involved too... My father asked, no told me to get on the stand at his prelimary hearing and blatently lie for him. ...I could have done with my real friend that day." Gail looked up directly at Holly who didn't verbally respond. "Anyway with my family falling apart I stepped away from the adoption, but at the end of the day I think, no, I know it was the best thing for Sophie and that is all that matters to me."

Gail took a deep breath and continued, "Going back to when you left, I had started to hit The Penny quite hard but you know me, I can handle my alcohol, yeah, right, so I thought so too. I had quite a few nights were Chris or Dov would take me home and throw me in bed... But hey, I still managed to get up to go to work the next day... God only knows how I was never over the limit to work. Traci called me out on it a couple of times but I just bitched back to her, then after Steve she wasn't speaking to me either."

She started to pace back and forth across the window, Holly never took her eyes of her, trying to read her body language, waiting.

"So after the initial fallout of Steve came the investigation of my parents. Elaine has taken early retirement but Dad, he's been relieved of his duties, has been formerly arrested and is being investigated. He is tagged but at home. Now I have to watch my back, nobody and I mean nobody is going to help me, they think I'm crooked like the rest of them. Which I'm not, by the way, in case you happened to be going there."

She stopped pacing and turned towards the window again, resting her forehead on the cool glass. "Next came Sam and Andy's wedding, which I was so hoping that you would be invited to and obviously fly back to come to a wedding of people you hardly knew. So stupid of me... Any way I got completely trashed, I was gonna say fucked but that was later and with someone I don't even like." She gently knocked her head against the glass, "I was so stupid... I'm sorry Hol...She was on loan from Guns and Gangs, but she's no longer around either, cos being associated with me and having worked with Steve a while before, she was investigated then dismissed... I haven't seen or spoken to her since..."

Holly cleared her throat, "I was... Maybe I shouldn't tell you this but as you are laying it all out for me, I will say I was invited and I declined the invite, making up some bullshit excuse. But in reality I was here, it was one of the times I came back to see my Dad. He was quite poorly at the time and we all thought that it wasn't worth him carrying on with the treatment, but he turned a corner that week and I'm glad that I was there to see it."

Gail continued, trying to ignore the hurt she felt at hearing that bit of information. "You know it will all end in heartbreak anyway. Sam had a child with Marlo a few weeks before they got married and I really don't know how McNally is dealing with it all..."

"Maybe they'll work it out." Holly replied.

"Yeah, maybe... Anyway that's them not me."

"I know I have absolutely no right to ask this... But has there been anyone else?" Holly asked quietly to Gail's back, curiosity taking over her normal level headed self.

"Oh...Holly, I don't know what to say... No, no not like that." She could see the disappointment on Holly's face in the reflection of the glass. "Can I finish please? I will tell you, but it's not something that I'm proud of."

Holly nodded but remained quiet. Gail took that as a sign to carry on. "About a week after Detective Anderson was fired I was called into Oliver's office. As I had already had a suspension in my file as well as a sexual harassment notation, I had to hand over my badge and gun, I was officially now being investigated and put on suspension again, for a minimum of 3 months." Gail heard the drawn out 'shit' from the brunette on the end of the couch. Holly got up and moved over to the mini bar to pour herself more wine and returned to the couch.

"Hang on a minute, back up a bit. Sexual harassment?" Holly spluttered with the sip of wine she had just taken. "What the fuck?.. Gail?"

"It was so, so stupid," Gail hung her head, "I think subliminally, I was already trying to self destruct. I don't know why I did it."

"What did you do? Holly asked in her authoritative voice.

"I literally bumped into Lauralee at the station and accidentally squeezed her ass...But it didn't mean anything, I swear, I just...I didn't..." she huffed out. "I didn't even know she had put in a complaint about it."

Holly looked completely dumbstruck, "I don't quite know what to say to that, ...probably wasn't going to help with the adoption, now was it?" Holly replied tersely.

"Can I continue?"

"Come and sit down?"

"No, I can't continue if I look at you because this is the bit that I am really ashamed of." She clenched and unclenched her hands down by her side then lifted them to the cool glass planting fists next to her head. "So, now I have absolutely nothing to do... So I start to get to know rather intimately Jose, Jack and Jim. There were more than one or two occasions that Chris came home to find me passed out on the couch. Empty bottles discarded on the floor.

Dov, by the way, had moved in with Chloe by this point. Not that I think he wanted to, but more to get away from me, so his name wasn't associated with a Peck.

Chris, bless him, and his big brother ways... Well, I fucked that up too... He had been seeing this woman Jamie, the ex-boss', ex-wife, on and of for ages. She was, no, is a cokehead, and with him trying to keep clean, he would stop seeing her for a while if she got too bad. Anyway I digress, she came over one evening, Chris was working lates that week, so I said she could stay and wait for him. I was already well on the way to getting my tequila buzz on." Gail relaxed her fists and lay her palms on the glass.

"Urmm...do I need to hear anymore, because I think I can guess were this is going?" Holly barely managed to hide the disappointment in her voice.

Things are different now.

"Yes, you do, because you need to know. Before, or even if we meet up again."

"Ok..."

"You know the phrase of having to hit rock bottom before you crawl your way back up again, well I think this was my 'rock bottom'...We were well on the way to finishing the bottle, she was being quite entertaining at the time and I was just being a complete bitch as usual, she was flirting with me a bit and being a bit suggestive. ...Next thing I know..."

"Gail?"

Gail paused trying to figure out the easiest way of telling Holly what happened next. She slapped her palms gently against the glass and turned her head so that her cheek was flush against it. "Next thing I know..." she huffed out a breath, "...is, she...Jamie is cutting coke, I'm pouring more shots, we're getting high... and before I know it ...I'm...we're...fucking on the couch." she closed her eyes as she recounted that evening. "Chris came home and...well...?

"In flagrante delicto?" Holly whispered.

Gail turned to face Holly, covered her face with her hands and nodded. "Chris...he threw me out...of the apartment and I realised that he was the last one looking out for me...So I royally fucked up there, I sobered up a bit and called Traci. She...we hadn't been close since Steve so it was a long shot. But she came and picked up my sorry ass took me to her place, luckily Leo wasn't there. She berated me for a good hour then put me to bed. The horrible thing was she had to tell me everything again the next day."

Holly remained stoic, she didn't speak just took a couple of large swigs of wine. Only now it had taken on a rather bitter and acidic taste. She put the half empty glass down and pushed it away from her.

Gail turned back to look out the window, feeling Holly's eyes boring into her back.

Things are different now.

"Are you getting help?" the words stuck in her throat. She took a few deep breaths, pushed herself up off the couch and walked up behind Gail. Very gently resting her hands on her hips. Gail jumped slightly at the contact. She leaned back as Holly slowly put her arms around her. Gail nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.

"And?"

"Yes, I have started to get my act together, I have been clean for just over 3 months now. Nothing but healthy living for me now." a wry smile on her lips.

"Sucks huh?" resting her chin on her shoulder.

"In a word, yeah, but the thing is... I do love my job but I'm not sure if I can fight everything anymore... I was reinstated 8 weeks ago, but it doesn't feel the same...Oliver's ok, he's been great actually. I could cope with the Peck stuff but the fact I seemed to have fucked over all of my so called friends, I just don't know what to do... I feel like nobody has my back which makes me nervous and that in turn doesn't make me a good partner to be on the streets with."

"It's just a job." Holly stated quietly and calmly. "It's just a job." Turning Gail in her arms, "I'm sorry...Really sorry..."

They stood there for a while. Holly stroking her fingers through the short fine hairs at the back of Gail's neck. "You've stopped bleaching it?"

"I've stopped doing a lot of things!" Gail smiled as she leaned back, "I should go..."

Holly released her and stepped back, "Can we stay in touch this time, please?"

Gail nodded and turned towards the door.

"I'll be back before Christmas, maybe we could..."

At the door Gail turned, placed her palm against Holly's cheek, tears glistening in her blue eyes. She paused before searching deep into those molten chocolate eyes..."You were the one who always had my heart, you know? You were the one, the only one... and you were amazing."

But things are different now.

Holly went to speak but Gail removed her hand and placed a finger on her lips, as to quieten her whilst undoing the door handle with the other. She swiftly turned and walked out the door. Leaving Holly staring at the closing hotel room door... "I'll be home before Christmas..."

TBC...?

A/N The last line of Gail's dialogue is taken from The movie Gia.


	2. Chapter 2

Revelations Part 2.

Holly sat on the small double bed of her childhood bedroom. The posters and trinkets of a teenage Holly were long gone. She studied the few bags that she had bought back from San Francisco laying piled in the corner of the room. How the fuck did I end up back here. She lay back on the bed, legs still dangling over the side, feet scuffing the floor. Kicking off her shoes, she spun round and grabbed the pillow, pulled her knees up and closed her eyes. She had thought about Gail everyday since leaving Toronto to go back to San Francisco. Their parting that night felt more and more like a final 'goodbye'. Every time she came to the same conclusion that she wasn't going to give up on her. Holly was determined to make things right between them, to make up for lost time, to make up for everything she should have and could have done differently.

There had been some communication, a couple of short phone calls, a Skype session and sporadic text messages. But there was no talk of them getting back together, no discussions of when she was getting back, no making plans. It had been nearly eight weeks since that evening at the conference in fact she hadn't heard from Gail at all, for a couple of weeks.

Walking through the glass doors to the front desk of 15 she was greeted by a uniformed officer, "Can I help you, ma'am?" the young woman inquired.

"Yes can you tell me if an Officer Peck is on duty today. "I'm sorry ma'am, I can't give you that information."

"Fuck..." she muttered under her breath... "I'm sorry, look I was at the forensics department and I need to speak to her."

"Well, ma'am, the only thing I can say is that, she's not here."

"What do you mean not here...Not on shift?... Has she been transferred? Promoted?"

"I'm sorry I can't say."

"Ok, how 'bout Oliver Shaw is he still here?" By this time Holly's normal patient self was starting to get a little rattled.

"Yes, he is ma'am."

"Thank god," she said raising her head up towards the ceiling. "Ok. Now we are getting somewhere, firstly can you stop calling me ma'am? It's Doctor Stewart. I don't suppose he's in today is he?"

"Yes, ma'am he is."

Holly was desperately trying not to be curt but bit out, "Well is it at all possible that you could call him or something to see if he is available to see me? If that isn't too much trouble?" smiling a sickly sweet smile.

"One moment ma'am, if you would like to take a seat over there," pointing to the hard plastic chairs just inside the front door "and I will see if he's available."

Holly wandered over to the chairs as she turned to sit she could see the young officer speaking on the phone. She replaced the receiver and looked over to Holly, "he will be out in about 5 minutes if you could wait?"

Holly nodded her agreement and waited.

Sure enough 5 minutes later Oliver Shaw buzzed himself through the door. Catching sight of Holly sitting in the waiting area, he knocked on the glass partition, "Next time someone asks for me get a bloody name will ya, rook?"

"Holly? I mean Doctor Stewart?" Oliver questioned, holding out his hand for her to shake.

"Sergeant Shaw."

"Oliver, please...Would you like to come through to my office." Oliver led Holly through the bull pen up a half flight of stairs and into his office. Indicating for her to sit down in the chair opposite his desk. They exchanged pleasantries.

Holly just nodded along and waited for him to finish.

"I'm really here to find Gail, the officer on the desk wouldn't give me any information so can you enlighten me?"

"When was the last time you saw Gail?"

"About seven maybe eight weeks ago we met up at the Homicide Conference when she took Traci's place."

"Ah, yes right. Did you talk at all ? Did she tell you about Steve and her parents?"

"Yes, yes all of that. She told me everything Oliver including the...the ..." Holly trailed off.

"Right, well...when was the last time you spoke to her?" Oliver asked.

"A couple of weeks ago...That's why I've been a little worried, I know she has been working a lot of overtime recently but I normally get a random text every couple of days... So what's happened?" Holly pointedly asked.

"Ok... I really shouldn't be telling you about this, but I'm sure I can trust you?" Oliver looked at Holly. Reaching into the top draw of his desk, he removed an envelope and placed it on the desk.

"What that got to do with Gail?"

"That, my dear is her resignation." Oliver sighed.

Holly sat back in her chair, "I don't understand...she never said anything to me?" shaking her head in confusion.

Oliver held up his hands, "Hold on a minute, you still don't know the rest. I have opened this because Diaz found it in her desk draw, seeing it was address to me he handed it over. But I haven't actioned it. It seems my little Peck has been thinking about this for some time." he paused to look at Holly.

"Oliver, you're frightening me, what's happened?"

Oliver got up from behind his desk, came around the front and perched on the edge. Looking down at Holly, "Before you get upset, she is fine. Ok?"

"Oliver...quit stalling. Tell me..."

"Ok, she's at my place. Celery is looking after her."

"What?" Holly exclaimed rising from her chair.

Oliver put his hands on her shoulders, "Not so fast darlin', look she fine, she just didn't want to stay in hospital any longer and they wouldn't let her go, as she lives on her own now." He watched the conflicting emotions run through her mind.

"I have to go...to see her...what...what happened...when..did it...?" Holly slumped back in the chair.

"It's not a big deal," he tried to play it down a bit for Gail's sake.

Holly just gave him that 'don't fucking give me that bullshit' look. "Oliver.. I would like you to tell me exactly what happened."

"Ok, ok," he said flicking a piece of lint of his trousers, he stood and walked over to the glass partition and looked over the bull pen. "What I'm going to tell you needs to be completely confidential."

"Sergeant Shaw." Holly stated, "you know me personally and professionally."

"Yeah, yeah. I know darlin' just checking." he paused as he turned to look at her. "They were doing normal routine patrol Peck and her rookie. Did you know that she was my favorite?... Anyway, Guns and Gangs were going a bust a couple of blocks over from where they just randomly happened to be. A call on the radio alerted them to one of the targets was off and running...only going in their direction. It really was just one of those sort of freak, perfect storm kinda things. As the rookie pulled the car up to the alley the perp was going to come out of he slightly over shot the junction so they were at the opening. As Gail got out of the car the perp came running at her smashing the door into her trapping her against the car. As he turned to start running the other way, he grabbed hold of her jacket and spun her around so she lost her footing and tripped on the pavement and went down pretty hard. Of course I wasn't there so this is all coming from her rookie, but he's a good kid so I think it's a good version of the events."

"Right, so what are you trying to tell me Oliver?"

"Well, apart from a sprained ankle and some soft tissue damage to her shoulder..."

"Come on, quit stalling, what's the real problem?"

"She, urm,...her face...she hit her face , first on the side of the car and then as she turned she landed on the pavement."

"So?"

"She has...had a nasty concussion and quite a lot of..

"Bruising and I would imagine a possible cheek bone fracture and orbital fracture...possible TBI..." Holly continued as Oliver just nodded his head. "When did this happen?"

"A couple of weeks ago...she has been in the hospital for about ten days when I got a call saying she was trying to leave AMA. So I cleared it with Celery and took her to my place. She says she's fine but she isn't, she is still sleeping most of the time and not really all there the rest of the time. Izzy has sat with her a couple of times while Celery has been out. I haven't mentioned the letter I'm not sure if she ever remembers she had done it. I really didn't want to push her at all, she's been through a lot this last year."

Holly waited a while before she spoke trying to absorb the information she had just been given. The doctor part of her brain going into overdrive about all the complications of serious concussions and facial fractures. But the ex-girlfriend part just wanted to see her. "Would it be ok if I came to see her?"

"Of course, you are more than welcome... Look why don't you go over to the coffee shop across the street, they certainly serve better coffee than we've got here. I've got a couple of case files to deliver to various departments then I'm off duty. I'll only be about 20 minutes, half an hour max. Then you can follow me home if that's ok with you?"

Holly nodded and eased herself out of the chair. As Oliver came around the side of his desk, she reached out to touch his forearm, "Thank you, for looking after her."

He smiled, "I'm real glad you're back, Holly... You're good for her..."

"I messed up the first time, I don't intend on doing it again." With that she turned and left his office, "I'll see you in a bit, ok?"

"I'll come and find you."

An hour later Holly was slipping off her boots in Oliver and Celery's hallway. Celery came out of the kitchen to greet Oliver, "Oh, hi?" directing a smile towards Holly, "when did you get back?"

"A few days ago... I really don't mean to be rude, but is Gail around?" Holly asked.

"She went for a nap a couple of hours ago, she should be surfacing any minute now for dinner. Did you want to go up and see her?" Celery kindly smiled at Holly, "up the stairs, first door on the right."

One foot already on the first step, "Thanks," she smiled back.

Holly lightly tapped on the door, "Gail?..." as she opened the door and peeked around it, "Hey, Gail...Are you awake?..." Holly let her eyes adjust to the darkness of the room and stepped inside.

"Lunchbox?...Gail croaked, lifted herself up on one elbow and shielded her eyes with the other. "What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" Holly hesitated by the door.

Gail patted the bed beside her. She reached over to click on the bedside light. "Are you really here or have I died in my sleep?"

"Ouch!...shit that looks like it hurts?" As she came towards the bed, she knelt beside the bed and reached out to touch Gail's face. Gail flinched just as Holly made contact with the skin, "It's ok, I not going to hurt you, ok?" Raising both her hands up, extending her fingers she gently touched over the bruised skin on the right side of her face. "Oh, honey..." Blue eyes looked into brown, Gail's chin trembled at the effort of not bursting into tears. "It's ok honey." Holly lent forward, brushing the fringe away from her face and pressed her lips against her forehead. "It's ok..." wrapping her arms around her. They stayed that way for a little while until Holly complained that her knees hurt. She climbed up onto the bed lent against the head board and pulled Gail into her.

Gail rearranged her limbs, pretty much curling up into a ball in Holly's lap, tucking her head underneath her chin. Holly seemed to know that talking was not the answer here when Gail got like this. She just needed to be held. Holly had worked this out a long time ago, when they were first together. Yes, the great Gail 'I don't need anyone' Peck actually did need someone, sometimes. Holly stroked the nape of her neck with her long fingers, then further down her back, every time Holly moved to try and look at her face, Gail buried herself further into Holly's chest.

"Your boobs smell nice, Hol." Gail quipped as she raised her head to look up, a wry smile touching the corners of her mouth.

Holly smiled and rolled her eyes, "You're incorrigible Peck!" as she tilted her chin towards her to give her a chaste kiss.

As Gail pulled away from Holly, she ran the back of her fingers down her cheek, "Will you take me home...please?"

Before Holly could answer Celery knocked on the door and poked her head through the gap, "Hi, sorry...Holly would you like to stay for supper?"

"Thank you for the offer but I really should get going." With that Celery nodded and closed the door.

Immediately Gail started to pull away from her, "uh ah, not so fast. I will take you home. But tomorrow, ok. Oliver and Celery have been really good to you and you can't just up and leave tonight. So later when you're having supper tell them that I'm coming to take you home about lunchtime tomorrow. Ok?...I have a couple of things to do in the morning and then I will come get you, ok? Have you got a new phone yet?...Yours got crushed or something?"

Gail reached over to pick up her phone, "Give me yours?"

Holly gave Gail her phone and scrabbled off the bed, stood and held out her hands to help Gail of the bed, "Come on see me out?"

G: Lunchbox?

H:I'm on my way. 20mins.

G:K

Holly pulled up outside Oliver's and pretty much Gail was in the car before she had undone her seat belt.

"Let's go, Lunchbox!"

"Are you ok?...did you thank Celery for looking after you...?"

Gail turned to Holly, "Yes of course I did, I am capable of being polite and I do have manners you know...My mother would be so proud."

Holly did up her seat belt and turned to Gail, "So where are we going?"

Gail shrugged her shoulders and lent forward fiddled with the satnav. "There that's where we're going," pointing to the screen, "but we are going to make a stop for lunch first, if that's ok with you... But I don't want anything remotely healthy...I have had a lifetime of that in the last few days...so burgers ok?"

Holly rolled her eyes, "Ok...how are you feeling today?"

"Actually a lot better, thank you. I don't know if it cos you're here or because I'm finally getting to go home. I can't wait to sleep in my own bed." Gail turned from looking out the windscreen and added quietly, "or maybe it's because I'll have a warm body with me tonight?"

Holly took a quick look at Gail a little lopsided smile wavered on her lips, "why you're mighty presumptuous Ms Peck...But yes I was going to stay with you...only because you're still having headaches aren't you?"

Gail nodded and absentmindedly? Rubbed her forehead and trailed her fingers down the side of her face testing the skin on her cheek bone. "Hmmm..."

After a Gail sized lunch at the dinner on the corner of the street with more to take home they made their way back to the car.

"So, what happened to being back before Christmas?" Gail asked.

"I'm sorry Gail, I did try and get hold of you to say I wasn't going to make it back, but you never answered any of my calls. Obviously now I know why." Holly sighed as she got in the car, "I know, I know, it must have been real shit spending Christmas in hospital. I spent Christmas in an empty apartment with my laptop and a tonne of files." As she did up her seat belt she took hold of Gail's hand. "I wanted to be here Gail, I really did. Not just for you but with my father too." She lent over and brushed her knuckles down the uninjured side of Gail's face, "I'm really, really sorry, honey...God what is it with us and communication, huh?"

Gail still looked mighty dejected until Holly bought up her other hand so they were now both caressing her cheeks pulling her towards her. Placing a soft gentle kiss to those full pillowy lips. A kiss filled love and promise. Holly broke away nuzzled her nose against hers and tipped her head towards Gail, touching foreheads together, "Come on, lets get you home and settled in for a nap?"

"Hmm, ok...that'll be a fine idea of yours, Lunchbox." Gail dozily replied.

Whilst Gail slept, Holly pottered around the around the house and after chucking out the contents of the fridge she decided that she needed to do a grocery run. She popped upstairs to check on Gail to see if she was still asleep. She stood at the door way leaning on the jam just watching Gail sleep.

"Hey?" Gail said not moving a muscle.

"Jesus!" Holly exclaimed jumping three feet in the air clutching her chest. "Fuck. Bitch, you made me jump?"

"No kidding, there Lunchbox!" Gail giggled, "serves you right for being a creeper." opening her eyes. " so what can I do for you as you have awoken the proverbial bear?"

"I was just coming to tell you I'm gonna go get some groceries for you/us and just wanted to see if you wanted anything specific?"

"Nah, I don't think so, maybe some fancy popcorn to have with our movie tonight?"

"What do fancy for supper?"

"Lunchbox, this is all sounding terribly domestic." Gail replied, "I dunno...pizza?"

"Pizza and burgers in the same day, I thought you had turned over a new leaf and its was all healthy?" Holly sassed back.

"Yeah well, that was before some idiot smashed my face into the pavement and the last few days being at Olivers."

"Come on, Celery's not that bad..."

"...She's a witch Holly, what more can I say?" Gail deadpanned.

"Yeah, ok...I'll give you that its a bit strange. But each to her own, I guess? Look I better get going I'll see you in a bit ok?" pointing her thumb behind.

"Hey, Lunchbox?" Gail called out, "don't I get a kiss, before you go?" a little fluttering of her eyelashes.

Holly rolled her eyes and crossed the room in four paces, bent down gave Gail a quick kiss on the cheek and turned and walked away.

"Hey, that's, not fair!" Gail called after her.

"Later, Peck!"

Gail lay on the bed, contemplating what she really need to do. She got up, stripped the sheets from the bed realising that they hadn't been changed for a while. Sorting the laundry, putting out clean towels for both her and Holly. Finding the laundry bin empty, puzzled she made her way downstairs. Only to find that Holly had done a couple of loads of washing. The fresh clothes folded into piles ready to put back into place, delicates hand washed left hanging up to dry. She shoved the dirty sheets into the machine and turned it on.

In the kitchen, which looked like it had been recently cleaned she open the fridge to find not a lot in it but what was there was organised and neat. There really wasn't much for her to do, so she decided on making some tea and having a soak in the bath.

Relaxing back into the hot water, she sipped her tea and closed her eyes.

Steve, she thought about Steve, he was great at doing this kind of stuff for her when she had needed help previously. He'd been great when she finally told him how much she'd missed Holly. How she needed him to be here for her and Sophie. She missed him greatly, she missed working with him she missed their banter, she missed annihilating him at video games. She just missed her big brother who most of the time was a complete pain in the ass but he was always in her corner. She would never forgive him though, for being so stupid, for not standing up to their parents, but on the other hand she understood that he really didn't have much choice.

Still she was thankful that he had almost given her his house, his car, his guns pretty much everything he owned. They weren't hers she was just looking after them until he got out. There seemed to be an unspoken pact between them, but they both knew it was highly unlikely he was going to come out of prison alive. That was another of her fears when she was going through her meltdown, but she had made peace with it now after visiting him a couple of times.

She came too, spilling the cold tea in the bath as she heard Holly call out her name. "In here."

Holly poked her head around the door, "How are you feeling?"

"Tired, just really tired. Thank you for doing all that stuff, you didn't have to."

"It's ok. No thanks needed, honey. Can I get you anything?"

"Nah...only you," she turned her head towards Holly, "wanna get in too?"

Holly shrugged her shoulders, "why not? Is the water still hot?"

"Mehh..."

"You make sound sooo inviting," Holly replied starting to strip her clothes off.

Gail shifted forwards to allow Holly to slide in behind her, "hhmm, that's so good," leaning back on Holly. "I've missed this." she murmured as she settled back against her, pulling Holly's arms around her. Holly kissed the tops of her shoulders up the back of her neck before Gail dropped her head back. Holly kissed the side of her bruised cheek.

"Me too...So I'm assuming you don't want to do anything tonight?" Gail closed her eyes and shook her head, "it's ok...this is ok, we can order pizza later."

"Don't you have friends to be with, parties to go to?" Gail sassed.

"Nope, I'm right where I want to be," Holly stated.

"Good... then be quiet and lets just soak for a while." Gail seemed to drift of again whilst Holly stroked up an down her sides over her fading bruises. Luckily she had kept her hands put of the water as they were still healing.

Holly relaxed and laid her head on the back of the bath, thinking how lucky they were just to fall back into their easy relationship.

Holly shut the front door and took the pizza into the living/dining area and put the pizza on the table she could her Gail clattering about getting plates and drinks and stuff.

"Can I ask you something?" Holly inquired.

"Hhmm...what..sure..." Gail replied gesticulating with her slice of pizza, "god this is good..." concentrating more on the pizza than Holly.

"The letter..."

"What letter?"

"The letter, that Chris found in your draw at work and gave to Oliver."

Gail continued to chew the pizza a puzzled look on her faced, "Urmm...what letter?... I don't remember any ...I ..." she lent forward grabbing another slice, shrugging her shoulders, "I don't know what your talking abo..." realization flashed across her face, "ah Lunchbox, that has been in my draw for just over a year." putting her half eaten slice back on the plate.

Holly looked suitably shocked, "A year!"

"Yep, I...urm..had had yet another bad day at work and you had not long been gone and I was thinking that we had made a terrible mistake not staying together. I was so ready to get on a plane and come to you Hol. The only thing that stopped me was Sophie, otherwise I would have come and found you." She paused for a moment, "Now that I know Oliver has it, I think I will let him keep it."

"Huh...I not following you."

"Quitting, lunchbox. I wanna quit. I'm tired of being punched, kicked, spat at, puked on and that's just the rookies! No I'm kidding about the rookies that is, I've just had enough. I don't know what I'm gonna do. What do think I should do?"

Holly sat back in her chair a slice of pizza half way to her mouth, "I...I ...don't know what to say. Only that I never in million years think you'd quit."

"Well, Lunchbox, I've changed, things change...I have been thinking about what I could possibly do, I dunno, maybe go back to school. Maybe teaching, maybe having a child or two or..." She let that last comment hang in the air as Holly's mouth moved but with nothing coming out of it. "Or both? The only thing that I know for sure...is you Hol, I want to be with you...If you don't want any of that, you need to tell me now?"

Holly was completely taken aback by Gail's honest revelation. When they had been together before it was for such a short period of time that they hadn't really discussed any long term aspirations.

Gail continued, "I know this is a lot, but I'm tired. Tired of fighting, tired of everything not going my way. So I'm now going to do things my way. For the first time in my life, everything I do it's for me. I want you Hol. I really do... It's always been you." She got up and stood in front of Holly tipping her chin upwards towards her, "You...just you." she whispered against her lips as she lowered her lips to Holly's.

"Are you proposing to me?" Holly asked as Gail pulled back and straightened up.

"Er..well...er...no...yes...I don't know...maybe? Er no not yet...maybe soon, how about plus one and the forever part sometime in the future?" Gail grinned down at her.

"You know, I am unemployed too, at the moment that is. I have no where to live, well apart from my parents that is, and I only just got a car today. But I am about to hand my editor my first manuscript and a possible lecturing post at the university." Holly supplied.

Gail returned to her seat and retrieved her pizza, "So the main thing I need to know Hol, is do you want kids? Cos that's pretty much a deal breaker for me."

"Well, I hadn't given it much thought really. Until now..."

Gail stood to clear the plates and rubbish, Holly caught hold of her hand, and stood facing her, "Yes, Gail, I want you...I would want to have kids ...with you..."

Gail put the rubbish back on the table, and pulled her close, throwing her arms around her neck. Her piercing blue eyes flicked from Holly's down to her lips and back up again, leaning forward tilting her head just as she was about to devour Holly's lips, "Good!" Turning and walking swiftly away accentuating the sway of her hips. Holly couldn't help but watch her walk away from her, biting her lip and tilting her head to try and see her walk around the corner. _I hate to see you go, but love to watch you leave._ She thought.

"Come on Lunchbox, get the movie on!" Gail called from the kitchen.

Half way into the movie and half way down a tub of ice cream, Gail is studying the side of Holly's face, as she sucks the spoon free of ice cream, "Move in here."

"What?" Holly turned to face Gail, moving her legs from the coffee table and crossing them in front of her.

"Yeah, I know, lesbian cliche`, but hear me out. It just saves time. And I think we have wasted enough time, don't you? But, I still want to go out on dates, you know. I want to be wined and dined. No, no, no batting cages. Ok? I still want to be able to get dressed up. Oh and believe me when I say dressed up I mean lingerie, heels, short dress the works. You'll love it Hol!" She said wiggling her eyebrows a broad toothy grin appearing on her lips. She turned around and lay down and put her head in Holly's lap. "Its Steve's house, well mine now, but his room stays as it is, but I'm sure we can find you an office space somewhere. Maybe we could convert the attic or something?"

"Hmm...maybe. Have you thought about doing something else in the force other than the beat cop thing?" Holly asked. "I mean that in the nicest possible way of course."

"You know, I hadn't Hol." Gail deadpanned.

"I meant what about, training at the Academy, or doing ballistics, you know something a long those lines?"

"You know, My mother many years ago when she was pushing me into doing stuff I didn't want to do. She said you don't want to end up with Okie from Muskogee doing the donut patrol. She was referring to Chris, and me not applying myself. But the thing is, I have never really been that ambitious, all I have ever wanted is to have a job that I enjoyed but also have a life as well. Yes I suppose that means a family, but to actually have time for the kids and be there for them. Not spending all my time at work, missing out on so many things."

"Hmm, well I have always been the other way round. In the sense that I have always focused on my career and my relationships have suffered."

"Yeah, tell me about it! I know you Holly Stewart," Gail said looking up at her and pointing her index finger at her waggling it. "You run away too, only you, use work as an excuse."

Holly nodded. "I'm so sorry Gail. I really am. But I'm not running away now," she bent over to give her an upside down kiss. "I'm not going anywhere now. Seeing as I live here now." As she kissed her again.

"Really?"

"Yeah, why not, you're right we have wasted enough time. Everything else we can figure out a long the way. Together."

"Best new years ever." As Gail pulled her down for another kiss.

Part 3,[NSFW] a few hours later...


	3. Chapter 3

Revelations Part 3 (nsfw)

a few hours later...

Gail rolled away from Holly's back. Sighing quietly she put her left hand against the small of Holly's back, caressing the warm soft skin there. A secret smile graced her face as she touched the fine hairs gathered there, not so perfect after all, with your welcome mat, huh, she thought. She just needed to be in some form of contact with her, after all this time she was so happy to have her back in her bed. She rubbed her face with her other hand , up and through her now shorter styled hair. Seems like both of them had gotten their hair cut recently, hers back to like it was couple of years ago and Holly had hers cut to sit just on the top of her shoulders.

She had slept soundly for the last four or so hours. More content than she had in a long while, but now she was wide awake listening to the soft ,slow, in and out breath of Holly.

Holly...I've missed you so much. Gail thought as she turned towards Holly's back resting her forehead against her. The soft fabric of the t-shirt covering Holly's back was the only thing between them. Her hand resting on the curve of her hip, thumb touching a warm sliver of skin exposed between her t shirt and shorts. Gail lay there slowing her own breathing to mimic the same pattern of Holly's, she willed herself to go back to sleep but it continued to evade her. She didn't want to wake her, after all she did look exhausted when she turned up earlier. She didn't want this woman to be anywhere else now, but in her bed, in her life, in her future. Gail stealthily, and softly moved her hand from Holly's hip up under her t-shirt and cupped her breast.

Holly murmured in her sleep, rubbed her cheek on the pillow whilst offering her breast to the hand gently cupping it. Gail grazed her thumb over the nipple and squeezed gently revelling in the memory of how Holly's body had felt before, against her inexperienced hand. This time she was determined to make sure, to make Holly know, this time around she knew exactly what she was doing. Holly shifted in her sleep so she was now laying on her back. Gail stopped the ministrations with her breast and let her settle again. Now Gail had access to the other breast. She shifted herself so she could get better access to those wonderful boobs. I am definitely a boob woman she thought, who knew. Holly lifted her arm for Gail to snuggle underneath, to let her cheek rest against Holly's chest. Smiling at her self, she was right were she wanted to be, back in Holly's arms. Touching her boobs, yay, go me!

"What are you doing?" Holly inquired softly running her hand up and down Gail side.

Duh, Playing with your boobs. "Shh...Go. .. go back to sleep?" Gail whispered cutting out the sarcasm, letting her hand rest between Holly's breasts, feeling her heart beat.

"Hmmm..."

Gail waited patiently, to hear Holly's breath fall back into its even rhythm, the hand on her side slowing and eventually stopping, coming to rest on her back. Gail watched the rise and fall of Holly's chest, the light of the street light illuminating the room a little. It was one of her reasons to take this room as hers and leave Steve's as it was.

Patiently planning her next move, she waited. She tried not to let her mind wander to much, she tried repeating the mantra of 'don't screw up' over and over. This time she was sure both of them were in the right place for them to start again. Gail delicately extracted herself from Holly's embrace. Stealthily as possible shuffling down the bed, pulling the covers back over herself, positioned herself adjacent to Holly's legs. Holly murmured and tried to turn over, but Gail gently pushed down on her right hip halting the movement. Holly hummed in her sleep, rubbed the palm of her left hand across the top of her abs, "Gail?" she breathed.

Placing her hands either side of Holly's hips, she rose up on her knees, "Mmm, shh, go back to sleep, I'm gonna take care of you." Gail whispered, pulling her t-shirt over her head discarding it somewhere behind her. Leaning forward she placed gentle kisses to the exposed skin between Holly's breasts, down to her belly button. Gail toyed with her tongue, the silver ring there for a moment, kissing her way back up, the side of Holly's torso. Nuzzling the fabric of her t shirt out of the way as she kissed the underside of Holly's right breast.

"Gail?" Holly whispered, running her hand up Gail's naked side, trying to cup the naked breast pressed against her.

Gail carefully took hold of Holly's hand and put it above her head, "no...no touching me, be patient, my love, this is about you, go back to sleep..."

Gail waited for Holly to settle again, then continued with the exploration of her breasts. Making her way over to the left side, taking the nipple into her mouth, sucking gently. Releasing it, flicking her tongue over the top a few times continued on her way back down the other side. Pushing herself down the bed a little more she was now at eye level with the cotton boy shorts. A kiss to each hip and hooking her fingers into the top of the waist band she started to drawn down the underwear, softly kissing the exposed skin from one hip to the other. Finally running her hands over the outside of Holly's hips around the back and underneath Holly's ass, tilting Holly upwards as to lift her hips gently and pull the panties down, the soft cloth dragged slowly over long tan thighs, down over firm calves and finally off over her feet.

Holly started to become more awake as she felt her underwear being removed. The feeling of having Gail kiss various parts of her abdomen and breasts had given her that languid state of warmth and love. She had totally forgotten Gail's delectation for waking her up with wonderful morning sex. A little wry smile adorned her lips as the memories of how Gail used to wake her. Many a morning, awaking to a soft sucking on her clit, Gail would increase the pressure as her hips began their involuntary undulations. She lay still waiting for Gail's next move, as she could feel her stroking her fingers up her thighs and over her hips and back down the other side. Unconsciously letting her legs fall open just a little more.

Gail lifted herself up a little to look at Holly, to see if she was still asleep. Running her fingers through the tuft of wiry hair, back and forth in a slow methodical pace, "are you still asleep, Hol?"

"Hmmm, yes?" she murmured. Her smile getting wider.

"Liar, liar," Gail chanted quietly as she lowered her hand slowly between Holly's legs. On its way back up her long middle finger dipped into warm wet folds. She applied a little more pressure as it neared her clit causing Holly to flinch away from the touch. "yeah right... I can hear you smiling."

"That's cruel Peck,...Hmmm, not awake...promise...I'm still sleeping..." she giggled still pretending to be asleep.

Gail shifted positions and settled herself between Holly's legs, wrapping her arms under firm thighs hooking her hands over the top of her hips. Gently nudging her legs over her shoulders. Resting her cheek on the top of her thigh, nose being tickled by wayward hair. Even though she couldn't see under the covers, she knew this woman. Her other senses heightening for the lack of visual. Her memory firing up at the scent of this woman. Remembering the places Holly liked to be kissed soft, to be kissed hard. How she liked to be fucked, to be licked and sucked, to be calmed. She put her right hand on Holly's firm belly, caressing the line of fine hair to her belly button. First up with the hair then down against it. She didn't know why she was doing it just waiting, playing if you like, trying to take things slow. She could feel Holly starting to relax again.

She started with the soft kisses Holly liked, the ones up the side of her pussy in the crease of her thigh, first one side then the other each time passing over she nuzzled her nose into the hair, drawing in a deep breath and exhaling warm air through it. The third passing over she started to feel Holly's stomach muscles twitch a little. Longer, softer, she thought, umm, interesting, _I think i like it...be patient...I know honey, you want to get to the good stuff,_ she thought. She could feel her own body responding to her ministrations.

"Hmmmm...Gail?...you don't have to do this...come back up here...?" Peaking under the covers Holly urged, as she ruffled the top of Gail's head, sliding her fingers down the side of Gail's cheek, "Is it okay?" referring to the yellowish bruising still evident on the side of her face.

Gail threw the covers from her head, "don't worry, it's fine Hol and... your supposed to be asleep...don't you want me to do this?" placing a kiss to Holly's palm.

Holly relaxed against the pillows and groaned, "God, I do want you..."

"So, just relax and let me do this..." Gail responded, taking Holly's thumb in her mouth and sucking gently.

Holly moaned out a breath knowing full well were those lips were going next.

"Do what you gotta do, Hol..." Gail whispered. She watched as Holly moved her hands back up her body cupping a breast in each. Pinching a nipple between thumb and fore finger. Her hips starting to move again. That's my girl, she thought, knowing Holly liked her breasts to get a lot of attention.

Now as the sun was starting to rise there was enough light in the room for Gail to see a little more. She bent her head towards Holly's pussy, extended her tongue and laid the tip just under Holly's clit. She paused for a moment, letting her tongue flatten and move very slowly forward, licking over her clit and all the way to the top of her pussy.

"Fuck!" Holly exclaimed.

Gail giggled at Holly's outburst. Continuing with the licks each time a little different, some starting lower pushing deeper between her folds, others quick, firm and short just over her clit occasionally just holding steady as Holly moved herself to were she wanted Gail's tongue. Holly's hips found a rhythm with Gail's tongue.

"More...please...Gail...I need you to...inside..."

Gail was aware of the slight change in the depth and frequency of Holly's breathing. She smoothed her hands down from Holly's hips around and under her ass. Cupping and squeezing her cheeks in her hands slightly lifting her of the bed. She circled her entrance with her firm tongue, increasing her pace as Holly started to grind into her. Dipping her tongue inside she was countered with a guttural moan. She sunk her fingers into the flesh of Holly's ass trying to hold her a little more steady. Gail extended her tongue as far as it would go, as deep into Holly as she could. Slick walls trying to pull her in further, her nose putting pressure on her clit, her face covered in deliciousness that was wholly Holly.

"...I need fingers...honey...please..." Holly moaned out.

Gail gently lowered Holly back to the bed, taking her right hand out and moved her mouth up to her clit. Sucking as much as she could into her mouth, softly and slowly. Placing the tips of her middle finger and ring finger just inside Holly's pussy and waited. She wanted Holly to relax and let her push down onto her fingers. Gail loved the feeling of Holly's cunt opening up to take her in.

"Fuck!..." Gail exclaimed releasing Holly's clit as she slipped into her. Her own thighs clenching together and her hips pushed into the bed. Her clit throbbed and warm wetness soaked her panties. Her fingers inside Holly started a slow, deep rhythm, her own hips following the same pattern but pushing against nothing. God I haven't been this turned on for fuck knows how long. She thought. Jesus she'll be the fucking end of me. God I need to come.

"...more...!" Holly demanded as her hips thrusting faster. Gail obliged and as she slipped back in adding her index finger, slightly curling them towards Holly's g spot.

"Fuck...that'sgoodjustlikethat..." Holly moaned, "faster,...oh...god Gail I'm gonna come..." Holly's hips matched Gail's fingers thrust for thrust. Grinding down on them harder and faster. Her thigh muscles started to tighten, her feet trying to grip at Gail's sides, head pushed back into the pillows, one hand still pinching a nipple the other holding desperately to the covers. Gail continued to thrust her fingers into Holly's soaking wet cunt, reclaiming the swollen clit in her mouth sucking hard and fast. Gail slowed her own hips, even though she was desperate to come, she felt Holly's clit pull back from her lips. As Holly grabbed the back of her head, thrust her pussy at her mouth and down onto her fingers, "...I... gonna... come..." she panted out as her body tensed for a split second, spasmed against Gail, and went slack. "F...uck..."

Gail could still feel the muscles inside Holly clenching around her stilled fingers as she slowly removed them but her need to come now was overwhelming. She continued to lick Holly's clit, gently up and down each side, to keep the post orgasmic feeling going for her. As she thrust the fingers that were covered in Holly's wetness down under the band of her ruined underwear straight to her enlarged clit. Mixing her own juices with Holly's come.

"Hol...I'm...gonna... come... too..." she whispered, as she circled her engorged clit with her own fingers. Hips bucking, fingers of the other hand still digging into the flesh on Holly's ass.

"Keep going...don't stop..." Holly whispered running her hand over the top of Gail's head, down to the nape of her neck, then retreating back gently digging in her nails over and over.

Holly lifted her head to see Gail's movements between her legs becoming more and more erratic and with her trying to breathe and keep hold of her clit in her mouth. Holly rocked her hips towards Gail's mouth again, "it's ok honey...let it go..." she urged, smiling at the sight Gail's ass bouncing up and down under the covers. Gail stopped licking Holly's clit and rested her cheek on the top inside of her thigh and still breathing heavily, working her own clit looked up Holly, as she gently ran her fingers down her cheek.

"...It's okay...honey...I'm right here..." she whispered at Gail, who closed her eyes and with one last thrust of her hips, she came.

Holly continued to run her hands through Gail's short spiky hair as she lay between her legs. And Gail did the same with the patch of wiry hair on Holly's pussy. Both not speaking for a while just enjoying the afterglow.

"I've missed you, Hol." Gail spoke softly, pausing for a bit, "was that ok?...it's been a long time for me...so?"

"God, yes, don't be so silly, of course it was ok... Hey, come up here I want to kiss you, come on," she urged as she riggled her legs either side of Gail's body.

"Don't get all mushy on me now...I haven't finished with you yet!" Gail teased, wiggling her eyebrows as she shifted onto all fours. She wiggled around a bit in between Holly's legs.

"What are you doing?" Holly giggled.

Gail emerged on her knees with a triumphant expression on her face a pair of black cotton boy shorts on the end of one finger. Which she preceded to fling behind her. She rather unceremoniously put one one knee each side of Holly's hips, grabbing the covers behind her.

"Do I get a kiss?"

"Of course," Gail answered rolling her eyes, "god, give me a chance," leaning forward to capture Holly's lips, slow and languid and thorough, "now I think this needs to come off?" grabbing hold of Holly's t shirt and trying to tug it off.

"Ok, ok...I'll do it..." as she slapped her hands away. Lifting her torso of the bed and pulling the t shirt over her head an throwing at Gail's face.

"You're so gonna pay for that later." Gail exclaimed, not taking her eyes of the beautiful body beneath her. Now the room was almost illuminated through the curtains this was the first time she had seen Holly in all her glory for a long time. "God..., you take my breath away, you are so beautiful Hol." Running her hands up Holly's sides and over firm breasts. Cupping a breast in each hand Gail lent forward to kiss each breast from one side to the other. Palming one kissing the other, taking the nipple into her mouth and sucking gently, until a soft peak on each emerged.

Holly wrapped her arms around Gail's body running her hands up the smooth soft skin of her back, as Gail started to attack her neck, "... hmm,... someones a little wet?" as Gail ground her pussy against her.

"Oh yeah," grinding her wetness a little more on Holly's belly, "So, whatcha gonna do about it?" Nuzzling into Holly's neck, running her tongue up the shell of her ear.

"Well, why don't you come up here and I will do?" Holly moaned grasping onto Gail's hips, urging her upwards.

"Sorry, l don't understand." Gail replied innocently.

"Gail?...Come on ... you know exactly what I mean. Come on, I want to taste you."

"Oh yeah...? Urmm... I still don't...Oh... Oh?...I get you," a smirk on her lips appeared as the penny dropped.

Gail rose up on her knees and shuffled a little further up Holly's body, whilst Holly scooted down a bit. After a little fit of the giggles from Gail, and some detangling of limbs. Holly anchored her down by wrapping her arms around the back of her thighs, her point of pleasure right in front of her.

Gail grabbed hold of the top of the bed frame and looked down at Holly and mouthed, "are you sure...you're ok?"

"Sshh, relax..." she mumbled, as she slightly lifted her head, closed her eyes and pulled Gail down closer to her mouth.

"Oh...My...God." Gail breathed as she felt the first strike of Holly's tongue against her clit. Long slow licks from her entrance to her clit. Her hips started the slow gentle rocking across Holly's open mouth. "Oh...Holly...I ...God...don't stop..." Gail panted. Holly closed her lips around Gail's pussy, sucking and tonguing. Gail dropped her head, so her forehead was resting on the frame between her hands. Her stomach muscles started to flutter, her breathing deepened, "God...Hol... I'm gonna... come..." she tried desperately not to grind down on Holly too much, but Holly seemed to pull her closer. Holly could feel Gail's muscles start to tighten around her tongue as she tried to push further inside. "jesus...fuck...hol... I'm gonna come on you..." As her thighs stiffened, she threw her head back, she stilled over Holly's mouth and came. Holly stopped moving and let the feeling of Gail's fluttering muscles melt away over her lips and tongue.

Holly started to very slowly move her tongue around again awaiting for any kind of response from Gail. Sucking her clit into her mouth again she could feel Gail start to undulate her hips again across her mouth. That's my girl, come on number three, she thought. She could hear the quickening of Gail's breath, she opened her eyes to see the concentration on Gail's face, brows furrowed, tongue peaking out to moisten her lips, pert breasts jiggling as she fucked Holly's tongue on her way to her third orgasm.

As Gail tried to extract herself from Holly's grip, "uhno...uhno..." was all she got from Holly, she held on tighter, still sucking on her clit moving her mouth lower.

"I can't Hol..." Gail pleaded.

"Ok," Holly acquiesced relaxing her grip. One hand drifted down her torso to her centre into her own wetness. She moaned and closed her eyes as her hips and fingers started their familiar dance. Gail started to pull her self up, "no...please stay there honey..."Holly pleaded. Gail turned to see what was going on behind her, "ah...I see..." smiling down at her with a questioning arch of her eyebrow, "what do you...want...me to do?"

"Boobs...please?

Gail smiled down at her, and reached behind, caressing a breast in each hand. A broad grin on her face, tweaking each nipple Holly moaned louder and licked her lips, the taste of Gail still apparent. She gingerly lifted her head slightly to Gail's awaiting pussy and gave it a long slow lick. Gail twitched at the contact, her stomach starting to flutter again. "Hol...I...no...I...can't..." her hips started the involuntary undulations again, in the same rhythm as Holly's, "hmmm...maybe?..."

Holly just smiled and closed her eyes, giving into the sensation of her own fingers, Gail's toying with her nipples and that wonderful taste on her lips. She enclosed her lips around the clit in front of her. She could feel Gail starting to rock against her again. This time they would come together. Her fingers increased their speed, never leaving contact with her clit. Her hips moving in time with Gail's, thighs beginning to tighten, feet flexing. She opened her eyes to see Gail in the same state as she was before, eyes closed, tongue licking her lips. She knew a few more strokes to her clit and she would come but she released Gail's clit and placed her mouth lower over her cunt and felt the muscles pulse once again as warm viscous fluid ooze onto her tongue as Gail ground down. She whimpered as her own body shuddering one final time as she too came around her own fingers.

Holly dropped her head back to the pillow a wicked glint in her eye, "you taste even better after you've already come."

Gail just opened and closed her mouth a couple of times as her brain tried to assimilate what Holly had just said, "l...l...you..." she giggled, "I'm sorry..."

"God, when did you get so...so...?" Gail couldn't quite find the right words. "So damn assertive... I think I like this new Holly," she added with a wink. As she moved off Holly and lay next to her, snuggled under her arm. Holly stroked down her cheek, down her neck, down to her breast, tweaking a nipple on the way down. Holly received a playful slap to her belly. She turned onto her side pulling Gail closer lifting her thigh over her. Holly's hand started a slow caress, loose figure of eights, up Gail's thigh, across her hip, to the little hollows on her lower back, up towards her shoulders and back down her side, crossing over her hip again to her ass, and again, over and over.

Holly had forgotten just how much she loved this time with Gail. Not just having amazing sex but the intimacy of it all. Not just looking at the physically naked beauty in front of her but the nakedness of it just being the two of them. The contented relaxed look on her face, the way Gail absentmindedly played with her belly button ring whilst looking directly at her, studying her face. She could almost see the thoughts travelling through her mind, the occasional slight twitch of eyebrow, like she was going to say something and then changing her mind. She liked to think that they were both thinking the same things but didn't want to say anything either because it would break the moment or they couldn't find the words to express how they felt.

The thoughts flying around in Gail's head weren't really that coherent either.

This wasn't coming alive, like before, with Holly, when finally all the cogs in her head aligned.

This wasn't coming home.

Yes things were different now but this is what she wanted.

This is who she wants, to make love and be loved by her, to fight ,to make up, to fuck, to grow, to have a family.

A future.

This was everything locking into place.

Her future.

Nothing else matters but this woman.

To start over.

This is what she wants.

Holly is what she wants.

This is what she will have.

That's all folks. Thank you for reading my first dabble at fan fiction writing. If ever want to make a comment please do, good or bad, send me a message I'm a big girl I can take it! I don't bite, well unless i'm asked to! ;-)

Tumblr / Twitter - vintagefuzzbox.


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